Cassie’s Gift
by Betty BOKOR
Summary: SamDaniel. Sam and Daniel are enjoying a gift from Cassie when an inexpected incident turns their lives upsidedown. Spoilers for Ark of Truth and Continuum.
1. Chapter 1

**Cassie's Gift **by Betty Bokor  
Sam/Daniel. Sam and Daniel get a gift and it turns out to be very different than they thought.  
Spoilers: All seasons.  
Disclaimer: The Stargate original characters belong to MGM/Showtime, Double Secret Productions, and Gekko Film Corp. This was written strictly for the purpose of entertainment. No attempt at copyright infringement has been made.

**Cassie's Gift**

**Chapter 1**

December 26th. (right before noon)

"I can give you that," he said suddenly, without looking at her.

"What do you mean you can give me that?" she asked, confused.

"Think about it." He stood and faced her boldly. "We've shared moments that no others get to share. We know things that would leave any normal person sleepless. We've gone to places and done things that not many on this planet can even imagine. And in spite of it all, we're still here, fighting the battle, with hope for the future, and fairly sane… which in itself is a big accomplishment… And, and this is very important, we're still friends."

"Yes, friends, but-"

"But we've never crossed that line. I've seen it grow thinner sometimes, and back to impenetrable later, but at this time, I almost can't see it. Because here, on this ship, we're only Sam and Daniel. We don't need to save the world or guard our backs. We're normal people. The problem is I'm not sure that we know how to behave normally anymore."

"So what? We should jump in bed together?"

"No. That's not what I mean, but after these two weeks, you'll be back in Atlantis and I'll be back with SG-1, and the chances that both of us will survive the next months will be as slim as usual. I didn't think it could get worse out there, but it's more dangerous now. Every time we beat an enemy, a bigger and better one comes after us." He stopped and looked straight into her eyes. "When was the last time you took a vacation or even a day off? To have two weeks is a miracle. If we decide to do something together during this time, nobody will ever have to know. We probably won't have any chances to follow up either. You know how hard it's been to merely communicate since you left, much less talk about personal stuff. At this point, the way things are, we have no future together, but we can have this present."

She felt very moved, but she wanted to be sure about what he was saying. "I know what I asked for, Daniel, and I see how you could give it to me that way, but what would you get out of this?"

"The truth, Sam? Ever since I lost Sha're, I've felt that I have all this love inside of me, all this affection, passion, tenderness, if you want to call it that, but I don't have anyone to give it to. Sometimes I feel like it's going to choke me. If I can give you any of that, Sam, it would make my soul infinitely lighter, and at this time in my life, I can't think of anyone else I'd want to share that with."

She could not say anything. She stepped closer and hugged him. She knew exactly what he was talking about. Nevertheless, she had never really thought that anything like that could work between the two of them. Deep, deep friendship, certainly, but not more than that. Then, he was not exactly declaring his undying love for her or asking her to marry him. This was different and she needed to think about it.

"It's almost midday and we haven't eaten anything," he broke the embrace. "I'll go hunt for something to eat so that we don't have to go out yet. Why don't you stay and think about this? We can keep on talking later. There's always another port if you still want to go home."

She nodded and he left the cabin. She sat on the edge of the bed and reviewed how she got herself there.

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Any comments? Please, take a minute and give your opinion. It is very important for me to know what the readers think in order to decide how to continue a story or write the next one, or, if there is no interest, stop posting it here.


	2. Chapter 2

**Cassie's Gift **by Betty Bokor  
Sam/Daniel. Sam and Daniel get a gift and it turns out to be very different than they thought.  
Spoilers: All seasons.  
Disclaimer: The Stargate original characters belong to MGM/Showtime, Double Secret Productions, and Gekko Film Corp. This was written strictly for the purpose of entertainment. No attempt at copyright infringement has been made.

**Cassie's Gift**

**Chapter 2**

December 12th.

_"I'm so proud of you, Cassie," Sam said and waited for the response from another galaxy. _

_"Thank you, Sam. I'm so happy that I can finally work here. I've been dreaming about coming back for so long… I just miss seeing mom in her office." _

_There was a short silence and Sam could not avoid the swift sting of painful memories at the mention of Janet. "I know, Cassie. I always miss her when I go back to the SGC." _

_"Well, at least Daniel and Teal'c are still here. Mostly everybody else is gone." _

_"Oh, no, Cassie. You'll see during the next weeks. You'll find many familiar faces." _

_"I hope so. Did you know that Teal'c and Daniel were the only ones who made it to my graduation?" _

_"Yeah, I know. Daniel told me. I'm sorry; I really wanted to be there, but I couldn't leave this post." _

_"I know, Daniel explained it to me. And Jack could not leave Washington, either, but he sent me flowers, too. Yours were beautiful. Thank you, Sam." _

_"I just wish I could have been there." _

_"I know. Did they tell you I was the valedictorian?" _

_"Yes, Cassie, I know. I'm really proud of you." _

_"Well, I won a prize, you know…some money. It was supposed to help the graduate who won to pay the student loans, but as you and Daniel paid for all my studies… I thought I could get you both a present." _

_"That's very nice of you, but you don't owe us anything. I'm sure Daniel told you that. You're as much our child as you were Janet's. We certainly love you as much-" _

_"I know, Sam, I know. It's just that I don't need anything. I have a secure job here and I'm living in your house… I just wanted to give you two something back. General Landry has authorized it −it took some convincing, mind you− and Cameron Mitchell has agreed, so we just need you to say yes." _

_"Yes to what?" _

_"A cruise." _

_"A cruise? I can't leave this place, Cassie. Where would I take a cruise?" _

_"You have almost all your vacation time from the last ten years, Sam. General Landry checked and you have barely used your available time. He's agreed to let Sheppard run the place for two weeks. He says that if you want to do it, he'll sign off on it. Two weeks, starting the day after Christmas." _

_"Two weeks…" Sam was astonished. "Where?" _

_"It's a cruise to the Galapagos and other sites close to the islands. You'll love it!" _

_"Cassie, that sounds wonderful, but I have to think about it. Two weeks is a long time and-" _

_"I understand. Just think about it. I already paid for it, so if you don't do it, it will just be lost," Cassie said in a sadder tone _

_Sam felt as if the eleven-year old Cassie was back trying to get her to agree to something she knew Janet would not approve. She smiled. "I'll tell you what. I'll talk to General Landry and then I'll decide. I promise to try." _

_Cassie let the matter go for the moment and changed the subject of the conversation. Later that night, Sam lay in bed thinking about the possibilities. She was not sure if she had understood correctly, but it seemed that Daniel would go on the cruise, too. There was no other reason for Cameron to give his approval. God knew Daniel needed a vacation. Her life had become slightly more sedate since she had taken charge of Atlantis, but Daniel was even now juggling missions and research at the SGC, still in charge of two of the biggest departments of the facility, excluding the military. _

_It could be fun to leave the stargate world for two weeks; she just did not know if she was capable_ _of being away from her touchstone for two whole weeks. _

December 26th. (early morning)

_Very early in the morning of the day after Christmas Daniel and Sam got out of the cab that had brought them from the airport and boarded the impressive ship. Sam already had mixed feelings about it. _

_Daniel insisted on taking care of all their luggage. After all, they had not brought much. They had left a harsh winter in Colorado, but in Miami, their departure point, the weather was already nice. It would certainly get better as they approached the Equator. _

_A young lady was waiting at the top of the gangway. She welcomed them and asked their names. _

_"Jackson, Daniel," Sam said as she touched Daniel's arm, "and-". _

_"Daniel and Samantha Jackson, yes, here you are. Wow, the Grand Suite on Deck 11… Second honeymoon?" _

_"Vacation," Daniel said politely before Sam could even react. _

_The girl smiled brightly and gave them instructions as a young man helped them with their luggage. _

_When they reached the room, Sam was stunned. The suite was obviously in the front of the ship and the view was breathtaking even before they left the dock. A vast picture window overlooked the bow and there was a private balcony to the left. _

_"If you need anything else," the boy said after getting their luggage in, "you may call the butler." _

_When he left them alone, Sam walked to the bedroom beyond the living room. She sat on the edge of one of the twin beds and looked through the windows. _

_"Do you think we look that old that she thought we were on our _second_ honeymoon?" she asked suddenly. _

_Daniel lay down on his bed and answered. "I think we don't look like a newly married couple. We don't hold hands and we treat each other with the confidence that comes from years of being together." _

_"Maybe." She sighed and stood. She looked around and peeked into the bathroom. "Even the bathtub is in marble, Daniel, and there's a walk-in closet here. Do you know how much this costs? We shouldn't have let Cassie do it." _

_"Don't worry. I found out how much she spent and I deposited the same amount in her bank account." _

_"You did?" _

_"Yeah. It's her prize. She earned it because she was an outstanding student. She should spend it in her new life." _

_"How much do I owe you then?" _

_"Don't be silly, Sam. What would I do with the money? I don't even have anyone to inherit from me if I die tomorrow. At least you have your brother's children." _

_Sam sighed again. "Do you want to look at the rest of the suite?" _

_"Okay." Daniel stood and followed her. _

_The living room had a sofa, two armchairs, a coffee table, and an armoire. It was full of morning sun and the sober decoration made it simple but welcoming. _

_"Wasn't there a TV set in the bedroom, Sam? There's another one here," Daniel said opening the armoire in front of the coffee table. _

_"That must be for people who can't bring themselves to enjoy the fair weather," she joked. "Here's a comfortable desk to plug the laptop…" _

_"You brought your laptop?" Daniel asked. _

_"Didn't you?" _

_Daniel nodded and they both smiled. _

_They walked toward the separate dining area and they noticed there was a full guest bathroom to its side. _

_"Well, we have separate beds, we can also have separate bathrooms. I can use this one," Daniel proposed. _

_"Whatever you like, Daniel. You don't have to come here in the middle of the night, but it can simplify traffic in the morning," she said without too much enthusiasm. _

_"You're not having any fun, are you? Daniel asked leaning against a dining room chair. _

_"I'm sorry. I can't stop thinking of all the problems we left behind." _

_"Is it that or are you bothered that she put us in the same room?" _

_"No, Daniel, that's not it. I understood Cassie's explanation. She went with a friend to book the trip and she told her that we were her foster parents, so she had to get one room. Besides, it was less expensive." _

_"And it works better for our cover story." _

_"I know. Believe me, I don't have a problem with this. We have slept in the same room, tent, or even sleeping bag more than once, you and I, so forget the issue and enjoy the trip." _

_"Fine," Daniel said, but he could not shake the idea that she was uncomfortable. _

_They checked out the kitchenette behind a sliding door and Daniel got a soda from the fridge. After their excursion ended on the balcony, they changed into more casual clothes and they went to the Observation Deck to watch the coast as the ship left port. _

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Any comments? Please, take a minute and give your opinion. It is very important for me to know what the readers think in order to decide how to continue a story or write the next one, or, if there is no interest, stop posting it here.


	3. Chapter 3

**Cassie's Gift **by Betty Bokor  
Sam/Daniel. Sam and Daniel get a gift and it turns out to be very different than they thought.  
Spoilers: All seasons.  
Disclaimer: The Stargate original characters belong to MGM/Showtime, Double Secret Productions, and Gekko Film Corp. This was written strictly for the purpose of entertainment. No attempt at copyright infringement has been made.

**Cassie's Gift**

**Chapter 3**

December 26th. (in the afternoon) 

"I brought food. The_ butler_ was worried because I didn't let _him_ take care of lunch. He'll be around later to clean up, he said." Daniel said in an amused tone before he closed the main door behind him and put the food on the coffee table. He had a large tray with many covered dishes on top. "He carried this to the door and, then, he _allowed_ me to bring it in. I almost had to bribe him."

"That smells good," Sam said as she entered the living room smiling. "What did you get?"

"Grilled chicken, rosemary roasted potatoes, Manchego pizettes, grilled salmon, and a fresh fruit plate."

"That's an odd combination."

"I know. I didn't know what you were in the mood for, so I brought a little bit of everything. Ah, there are some side vegetables here," he said as he opened another tray.

"Well, let's enjoy this," Sam said with enthusiasm.

Daniel heard her tone and smiled, relieved. Whatever she had decided, she was feeling better.

She went to the dinning area to get some beverages for both of them. As she walked into the room, while she was still behind him, she said, "I though about it… and I'm willing to try, to see if it works… I don't know… I just don't want it to get weird between us if it doesn't work."

Daniel turned to look at her and smiled. "I promise I won't let it get weird on my side."

"Okay. I promise, too. Whatever happens, we're still best friends and we won't get mad at each other."

"Promise."

She smiled and walked towards the other side of the table. Daniel stretched his hand and grabbed one of hers to pull her to his side. "What?" she asked.

"Come sit with me." He guided her until she was in front of him and then he sat her on his right leg. 

"What are you doing?" She asked, feeling amused, but not missing the reaction of her body at the contact of her legs with his.

"I thought I should feed you," he said in a mockingly serious tone. "If I'm going to take care of you, that's a good start." He picked up a piece of melon and fed it into her mouth.

Sam bit it with a smile and asked, "Fruit first?"

"Some cultures do it that way. It helps the digestive process."

"But the meats will get cold."

"I've taken care of that," he said and moved the dishes apart to reveal a chafing dish on the back of the tray.

"You have everything planned, eh?" she smiled again and he fed her a fresh fig. "Mm… That was good. Did you put honey on it?"

"Yeah."

She took a few seconds to savor the fruit. She was feeling more relaxed. She passed one arm behind his neck and got closer to him.

"We'll leave the strawberries for later. Even with chantilly or chocolate they are too acid for this part of the meal," he said and put a small dish to the side. "Let's try some cantaloupe." He picked a piece and gave it to her. "If you close your eyes your brain concentrates better on the taste."

She closed her eyes and enjoyed. After she swallowed the fruit, she said. "Thanks, Daniel. I'm feeling better already."

"It's the effect of the food," he joked.

"No, it's you. I know this is really you. Sometimes this part of you escapes and I get a glimpse of it, but you're right, there's always that line between us and politeness, correctness, even fear, pushes all that aside."

"Well, we've erased the line, at least for these two weeks. Whatever feels good is allowed. Nothing is incorrect or disrespectful… well, you know what I mean."

"I do, Daniel, I do. Can I feed _you_ for a while?"

"If you want to."

"Yes, I do. Close your eyes. "

They ended up both sitting on the carpet, Sam between Daniel's legs, simply enjoying their meal.

Almost an hour later, they started cleaning up a little, worried about the butler coming to help them.

"Let's leave it like this, Sam," Daniel suddenly said. "Let's go to the swimming pool and see if we can get some tan. We look like we've been living in a cave."

"I'd say we have," she smiled. "You're right. Let's go."

A while later, as they sat by the pool, they decided to help each other with the sunscreen lotion. Daniel remembered that he had done this more than once before, even during a mission, but he had always done it _professionally_, no feelings whatsoever attached to the act. Now, he allowed himself to enjoy the softness of Sam's skin and he deliberately directed his hand movements to create pleasurable sensations for her.

"That feels great, Daniel. I don't think I can do it that well for you," she said as she lay face down on a pool chair.

To his surprise, she fell asleep a few minutes into his work. He smiled inwardly and sat reading in the chair under the umbrella by her side, carefully checking his watch to avoid her from burning herself under the hot sun.

Sam took a half hour nap and suddenly woke up when a couple of children ran by yelling at each other. She opened her eyes and saw Daniel with the book in his hands.

"It's just kids playing. Do you want to get in the water for a while? You've been under the sun for half an hour."

"I fell asleep? I'm sorry, Daniel. I must have been too tired. It's just that I suddenly feel so relaxed… Do you want me to help with the lotion and we'll go into the water together or do you want to take a nap yourself?"

"I'm fine," he said as he passed her the sunscreen. "Let's go swimming." He turned to allow her to put the lotion on his back and he closed his eyes to enjoy her touch.

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Any comments? Please, take a minute and give your opinion. It is very important for me to know what the readers think in order to decide how to continue a story or write the next one, or, if there is no interest, stop posting it here.


	4. Chapter 4

**Cassie's Gift **by Betty Bokor  
Sam/Daniel. Sam and Daniel get a gift and it turns out to be very different than they thought.  
Spoilers: All seasons.  
Disclaimer: The Stargate original characters belong to MGM/Showtime, Double Secret Productions, and Gekko Film Corp. This was written strictly for the purpose of entertainment. No attempt at copyright infringement has been made.

**Cassie's Gift**

**Chapter 4**

December 26th. (mid-morning) 

_After the ship started the trip towards the _ _Galapagos Islands__, Sam and Daniel decided to sit on one of the decks to enjoy the morning air. _

_Daniel got two glasses of fresh juice and they sat talking about Cassie and her accomplishments. _

_They had not been there for more than twenty minutes when a young couple walked by them, hugging and kissing, and simply having fun with each other. _

_Sam seemed to get upset and stopped talking for a while. Daniel noticed and kept quiet, trying to guess what had troubled her. _

_A few minutes later Sam restarted the conversation, trying to hide her discomfort. Daniel decided to observe her more closely. When a mature gentleman approached them with a group of roses in his hand and offered one to Sam, she looked prepared to hit him. _

_The old man smiled at Daniel and said, "You have a beautiful wife, sir." _

_"I do," Daniel replied. "Thanks." _

_Sam accepted the rose but refused to look at the man. He simply smiled again at Daniel and continued walking, searching for other recipients for his flowers. _

_"That was creepy," Sam said. _

_"He was just trying to be polite, Sam." _

_She did not answer; she looked at the rose and then stood up. "I can't do this. I'm going home. That's it." She walked resolutely towards the stairs to their deck and Daniel followed her in shock. _

_After they entered the room, Sam walked directly to the bedroom and started packing the few things she had taken out of the suitcase. _

_"Sam," Daniel said softly. "What's going on?" _

_She felt like yelling at him, but there was no reason; he did not know. Her eyes filled with tears and she sat defeated on the edge of the bed. "I can't do this, Daniel. I'm tired of faking and cover stories. The truth is we're not a couple and I'm never going to have a decent relationship. I'm over forty, for goodness sake, and I'm lonelier than a street dog." _

_Daniel sat on his bed facing her, but kept quiet to let her talk. _

_She started crying softly. "You know what the weird part is, Daniel? When I'm on a mission or in Atlantis, I feel that I'm on top of the world. I'm confident, happy, satisfied. I know what I'm doing and I like it. There are highs and lows, but it's my world. I love it. But then, I go out into the _real_ world and I feel lost. Every time I spend a holiday with my brother and his family, I feel like the old maiden aunt who's only good to bring presents. I'm never there during the year when it really matters… And then, lately, every time I see a couple hugging or kissing or just holding hands, Daniel, I feel this desolation, this anguish, this pain because I'll never have that again. And I haven't really had it yet either… There's this huge side of my life that is missing," she finished with pain in her voice. _

_"Sam," he stretched his hand and held one of hers. "I know what you mean; sometimes I feel it, too. I think I don't venture that much into the real world anymore, that's all. Two nights ago I went to a bookstore right before closing time, around eleven, to get a couple of books to bring on this trip. When they closed the doors behind me and I walked alone in the dark parking lot, I felt the loneliness so deeply… I even thought of accepting Vala's always standing proposition-" _

_"Why didn't you?" _

_"Because I'm not good with one night stands and because I don't love her enough to get into a relationship with her. It would just be for all the wrong reasons." _

_ "I understand," she said with sorrow. She got some tissues from the nightstand and tried to compose herself. "I need to go home, Daniel. I don't think I can do this for two weeks." _

_"We can't go home, Sam, it would really hurt Cassie's feelings. We have to try and figure out a way to help you." _

_"Nobody can help me, Daniel. There's no way to change our lives the way they are now. I've been thinking a lot about this and I think this is why I dated Pete. I wanted all those things that other people have. He was safe and nice and good looking… I wish I could borrow him for another while…" _

_"You're serious? Would you try again with him?" _

_"No, that's not what I mean. I wish I had the chance at another relationship like that. It was very good while it lasted. Then he went away and I went back to my world." _

_"You want to have an affair?" Daniel asked with disbelief. _

_"I don't know." She sighed. "I know our cover is that we're a couple, but if it weren't, I'd see if I still can make a man look at me, you know." She smiled shyly. _

_"All the men look at you, Sam. You're a beautiful woman and I have the privilege of knowing that you're also bright and caring." _

_She smiled at him more openly. "You're always the diplomat, Daniel. You always know what to say at the right time." _

_"It's the truth," he said, shrugging his shoulders. "Now, tell me what you need to have a good time on this trip. If we need to break cover, I'll do it. What can I do?" _

_"I'm very grateful, Daniel, that you try to help, but what can we do? We can't find someone who suddenly feels attracted to me and wants to spend the rest of the trip with me. In a perfect world I'd have someone to take care of me, to hug me at night and wake me up in the mornings, to share these two weeks with me and then disappear so that I could go back to my world. Without pain or harsh feelings… With maybe some good love-making in the middle…" She sighed noisily. "Crazy dream, eh?" _

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Any comments? Please, take a minute and give your opinion. It is very important for me to know what the readers think in order to decide how to continue a story or write the next one, or, if there is no interest, stop posting it here.


	5. Chapter 5

**Cassie's Gift **by Betty Bokor  
Sam/Daniel. Sam and Daniel get a gift and it turns out to be very different than they thought.  
Spoilers: All seasons.  
Disclaimer: The Stargate original characters belong to MGM/Showtime, Double Secret Productions, and Gekko Film Corp. This was written strictly for the purpose of entertainment. No attempt at copyright infringement has been made.

**Cassie's Gift**

**Chapter 5**

December 26th. (late afternoon) 

The afternoon in the swimming pool was interrupted when a thin cold rain considerably lowered the temperature outside. For a while, Daniel and Sam considered the possibility of going to one of the indoor pools, but then decided on going back to their room to shower and get dressed for dinner. Daniel had found out that there would be a string quartet playing during dinner at one of the ship restaurants and had secured a table for the two of them.

On their way to Deck 11, Daniel grabbed Sam's hand and held it all the way to their room. Sam smiled; it felt nice.

While she was taking her shower, she thought about how far they would take this _erasing the line_. The day had been very nice since they had changed the rules between them, but she was afraid that too much change would damage the relationship.

During dinner and after the quartet had stopped playing, she broached the subject.

"I was thinking," she started timidly. "You said we would consider that line between us _erased_ for these two weeks."

Daniel nodded.

"But we didn't talk about _how far_ we'd go with this…"

Daniel took another sip of his wine and then looked at her. "As far as it naturally goes. I'm not planning any of this. I'm just doing what feels good at the moment."

"Okay," she said hesitantly. "But do you have any personal limits you want to keep?"

Daniel was almost certain that he knew what she was talking about. "No. It's mostly in your hands. If that's what you need and it feels right, anything goes. That's what I promised."

"But you said that you didn't want a one-night stand. A few-nights stand doesn't make much more sense, either. I know you hate the word _affair_, and _tryst_ is even worse, but what would you call it if it happened?"

"Friendship and love."

She did not know what to answer, so she just mumbled "Thanks," and kept eating. Daniel did, too, and she felt relieved.

That night when they were ready to go to bed, Daniel asked, "do you remember that time on that ice planet, when we had to spend a couple of nights in that cave and it was so cold that we put the four sleeping bags together and we slept as close to each other as we could?"

"Yeah." She smiled. "I remember the colonel- well, the general, refusing to sleep in the middle and-"

"It felt good to be that close to you. These beds can be made into the European king size kind of bed… If you want to, we can hold each other closely during the night."

She hesitated for a second, but then nodded. She had asked for someone to hold her at night and he was trying very politely to give it to her.

They moved the beds and rearranged the linens. Daniel got in bed first and waited for her. When she got in, she moved close to him. He stretched his arm and hugged her with it. He kissed her hair and then said, "Good night, Sam."

A few minutes later she noticed the change in his breathing rhythm and realized he was sleeping. She could not follow him. It had been a very long time since she had felt so peaceful and comfortable and she did not want to miss a second of it.

December 27th. 

When Daniel woke up in the morning, he smiled as he felt Sam's head resting on his chest. She had really meant it when she had said she was starving for that. He decided to let her sleep, so he stayed as immobile as he could. He was surprised that it had been so easy to convince her to stay. If he had understood it correctly, she did not want him to fake his reactions; she wanted something _real_ but _temporary_. At the point they were now, their relationship could even stay that way forever. They had relaxed the limits of it, but they were still within the confines of a friendship. What most amazed him was how easy the transition had been. Hundreds of little gestures that could have looked out of place between them before were now allowed and they felt perfectly right. He knew that his friendship with Sam was different that what most people call friendship. It was not usual to _die with_ your best friend or to die _for her _or _by _her replicated hand… The memory of that particular death came rushing back and he could not avoid a chill. Sam moaned softly at his movement, but did not wake up.

He tried to block that moment from coming back. _That had not been Sam_, he repeated to himself. He moved his hand and softly caressed her long hair. It was very different from what he was used to, but he liked it. It just made her look like a different person some days. Maybe she was a different person. This Sam had taken command of a whole outpost in a different galaxy. She was not the half scientist-half soldier member of a team. She was the commanding officer and that required a whole new aspect of her personality to come to the forefront.

She had also gotten mostly over her infatuation for Jack. He knew that they communicated infrequently, mostly for official purposes or polite big-occasion calls, but he had also heard about his picture in her Atlantean office. Then, on the other hand, he had seen a much closer relationship with Cam in their last missions together… He immediately chastised himself for something akin to jealousy that crossed his mind- maybe his heart? In any case, he had no right. He was not in a relationship with her and he had no plans for one. He was simply helping her during a hard time. Perhaps if she really developed something with Cam, she would not need this kind of help from anyone. After all, she had known Cam for much longer than he had known him and they could have a history that he did not know about. He had not known about Cam and Carolyn for a long time before someone blurted it out. 

He moved carefully because he was feeling uncomfortable. It could have been that his thoughts were making him so, but he decided a small change in position could make it better. Thankfully, Sam remained asleep.

The memory of Sam baking cookies for Cam while she was on the phone with him came back as soon as he stopped moving. He made an effort and pushed it away from his thoughts. She would not fall for another commanding officer, would she? That would be against everything he knew about this woman as a scientist and a soldier, as a bright mind and a disciplined soul. However her personal relationships had not been better than his and that was something pretty bad to say about anyone.

He made a mental list of men he knew Sam had been interested in, regardless of the results: Jonas Hansen, Jack O'Neill, Narim, Martouf, Orlin, Pete Shanahan… Was Daniel Jackson anywhere in that list? Janet Frasier had thought so; she had told him more than once to try and figure it out, but the omnipresent absence of Sha're had stopped him every time. Janet had also been convinced that _he_ had an interest in Sam and he knew that was not (_entirely?_) true.

Then there had been men who had clearly expressed _their _interest in her: Rodney McKay, Joe Faxon, Malcolm Barrett, Graham Simmons, even Jay Felger and, beyond them, Fifth. It still did not give him an idea of what Sam really wanted.

Sam opened her eyes and looked up. "Hey," she said as she stretched and moved to see him better.

"Did you have a good night?"

"I think it was great. I feel very rested," she said with a smile.

"Good. Do you want to get up and go get some breakfast? It looked very attractive in the brochure they gave us… or I can call room service or go get you something."

"No, that's okay. We can go see together."

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